For this evidence-based 2026 list of surgical error law firms serving London, we checked what each firm practises and its history, then considered reviews and published results.
Our featured firm in London is Diamond & Diamond Lawyers LLP, where Jeremy Syrtash leads the medical malpractice group. Cohen Highley LLP caught our attention during the review: it dates to 1974, and its site specifically lists surgical error claims. Ask who would handle your file before calling, with a question about whether they've dealt with an injury from a similar operation. You can read about the discovery-based limitation period in our Ontario law guide, then ask about it and fees.
Jeremy Syrtash leads the medical malpractice litigation practice at Diamond & Diamond Lawyers LLP. He earned a BA from Yeshiva University (2010) and a JD from the University of Ottawa (2013), was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2014, and has acted as counsel and co-counsel in medical malpractice cases across Canada, many involving pediatric and obstetrical negligence.
Called to the Bar of Ontario, 2014 · JD, University of Ottawa · Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada, Health Care Law (2024 to 2027)
Cohen Highley LLP has been operating since 1974, giving it a longer history than many firms listed here. The firm's work isn't limited to surgical errors and misdiagnosis listed on its site; it also covers family law and housing matters. That means surgical claims aren't its only work.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Best for: Personal injury practice with medical claims
Clients repeatedly mention patient explanations in MACKINTOSH PERSONAL INJURY LAW's reviews, along with being kept informed. When an operation leaves a family with unanswered questions, it helps to hear what happened and why; one reviewer says the team explained both. Because its Google rating of 5 comes from four reviews, you're looking at a small sample of feedback.
Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Not sure who to call first?
Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves London can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
When reviewing what happened, the lawyer considers when you first discovered the possible claim. Discovery starts Ontario's basic limitation period of 2 years. Because the operation date doesn't settle every deadline, ask about the ultimate period of 15-year duration as well.
Records and medical assessment
To assess the medical issues, someone must examine your care and whether it caused or contributed to the injury. Under Ontario's court rules, you must serve expert reports addressing causation as well as the standard of care.
Starting the claim
Before the applicable limitation period expires, you must start your claim. To start one in Ontario, you don't need an affidavit or certificate of merit. When the injured person is a child, the lawyer must also check the age rules and those concerning a litigation guardian.
Reports and loss assessment
Alongside assessing the losses claimed, you must serve expert reports as required by the court's rules. If you're claiming economic losses, such as lost income or future care, Ontario sets no statutory cap. For non-pecuniary damages, a national judge-made cap applies.
Considering resolution
Once losses are assessed, ask how they and the medical opinions shape what happens next. Published malpractice results aren't listed by these firms. Without those results, this list can't indicate a likely recovery or tell you how long your claim might take.
Malpractice claims in London: the rules that matter
The filing deadline in Ontario
The clock startsWhen you found out, or should have
Time to start a claim2 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
At the very most15 yearsafter the treatment, with a few exceptions
Limits on damages in Ontario
Pain and sufferingCapped at about $484,330
All damages togetherNo overall cap
Expert paperworkNo affidavit or certificate of merit is required to start a claim.
A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
Diamond and Diamond Lawyers and MACKINTOSH PERSONAL INJURY LAW say they offer contingency fees. If the claim fails, there's no legal fee; otherwise, the lawyer receives a share of any recovery. Cohen Highley LLP's contingency arrangement isn't stated. You'll pay for case costs separately, including records and medical opinions, along with the court fees. You won't find the firms stating who puts up that money or pays those costs when a claim fails. Ask before signing. Get the fee calculation in writing, including how expenses affect any recovery. All listed firms offer a free consultation.
According to each of the three listed firms, you can have a free consultation. Contingency work is also offered by two.
What to bring to your first call
The procedure's name, along with the date of the operation
The names of other providers involved, plus the surgeon's name
Operation and discharge notes, along with any other medical records you have
Symptoms and follow-up care set out in a short written timeline
The point when you first thought the care had caused injury
Records of missed work or care expenses, along with bills
Letters you've received from the hospital or insurer
If relevant, photos showing changes after the procedure
Questions to ask a lawyer
1For surgical injuries like this one, how many claims have you handled?
2If I have questions about my file, who'll handle them?
3Before you decide whether to take my case, what medical records will you need?
4To assess whether my care caused the injury, what will you do?
5For my situation, what's the applicable limitation period?
6If there's a recovery, how will you work out legal fees?
7If the claim succeeds or fails, who covers the case costs?
8As the claim moves forward, how will I hear from you?
Choosing a surgical error lawyer in London
Your injury and operation matter more here than the firm's overall rating does. Each firm here mentions surgical errors on its site. None lists published malpractice results. Ask who would assess your file before arranging a review, including whether that person has handled claims involving the same kind of procedure. A firm may have been around for years without that telling you how often the lawyers working there now handle surgical claims.
Tell the lawyer what happened in your own everyday words. Give the operation date and describe what changed afterward, then say when you first began to think the care might have gone wrong. You don't need to figure out the medical explanation before you make the call. Ask which records the lawyer needs to decide whether your claim warrants further investigation.
Test the fit before signing
Who would handle your file's work from day to day? Ask the lawyer at your meeting how involved they'll be in the file and how they'll keep you updated.
How would the firm get medical opinions on causation (what caused the injury), as well as the standard of care (the care expected)?
Check where you'll meet. Cohen Highley LLP's identified office is in Kitchener, though it also lists London; the other firms' identified offices are in London.
Ask about keeping in touch. Some reviews question the clarity of explanations or response times at Cohen Highley LLP and Diamond and Diamond Lawyers, despite the positive feedback they also receive.
Each firm listed here says you won't pay for the first consultation. Ask during your call whether the firm will look into what worries you, without assuming that this means it'll take your case. Diamond and Diamond Lawyers and MACKINTOSH PERSONAL INJURY LAW also say you can use a contingency fee arrangement. Get the fee terms in writing before proceeding, so you can see the lawyer's share of any recovery and the separate case costs.
Don't trust a promise about the outcome. Pressure to sign is another warning sign if nobody has clearly explained the fees to you. A useful consultation won't settle every question, but the lawyer should tell you what they need to check in the chart and why they may need a medical opinion.
Questions people ask
How long do I have to start a surgical error claim in London?
Discovery starts the basic Ontario limitation period of 2 years. You discover the claim when you knew, or reasonably ought to have known, about your injury and the provider's contribution to it, and that bringing a lawsuit was appropriate. The Limitations Act, 2002 also sets an ultimate period of 15-year duration. To find out which rules apply, ask an Ontario lawyer.
Can I speak to a lawyer without paying for the first consultation?
According to every firm listed here, you can have a free consultation. Beforehand, check what you'll discuss and whether you'd pay for a later review. Having a free consultation doesn't, by itself, settle the terms for handling your claim. Before agreeing that the firm will represent you, request a written explanation of the legal fees, with case expenses explained separately.
Do these firms offer contingency fees?
Diamond and Diamond Lawyers and MACKINTOSH PERSONAL INJURY LAW say they offer contingency fees. Cohen Highley LLP's arrangement isn't stated. With contingency fees, the lawyer takes a share of any recovery and receives no legal fee if the claim fails. Separately, ask who pays for records and medical opinions, including if there's no recovery.
What does a surgical error case need?
When the medical issues are assessed, that must cover causation (whether the care caused or contributed to the injury) and the standard of care (what care was expected). To start your claim in Ontario, you don't need an affidavit or certificate of merit. Under the court's rules, though, expert reports addressing those issues must be served in practice.
What should I do before calling a London lawyer?
Write down what happened afterward and the operation date. As you gather the records you have, including discharge notes, note when you first thought there might be a problem with the care. Include correspondence from the hospital. Rather than calculating the limitation period yourself, have the lawyer assess it, and ask what else they need from you.
Are the deadlines different when a child was injured?
Yes, they differ. While a claimant is under 18 without a litigation guardian for the claim, the 2-year period doesn't run. If a claim arises while a minor has no litigation guardian, the 15-year ultimate period is also suspended, as addressed in Wong v. Lui, 2023 ONCA 272. To understand what this means for your child, ask an Ontario lawyer.
How long will a surgical error claim take?
These firms don't give a case duration, and Ontario's filing deadline doesn't tell you when a lawsuit will finish. Expert reports on the care and its contribution to the injury must be served under the court's rules. Ask what needs to happen next in your file, and how the lawyer will explain delays or changes.
Can I contact these firms if a loved one died after surgery?
Wrongful death appears among the practice areas listed by Diamond and Diamond Lawyers and MACKINTOSH PERSONAL INJURY LAW. On their sites, both name surgical errors as well. Although that gives you a starting point for an enquiry, it says nothing conclusive about your claim. After assessing what happened, an Ontario lawyer can explain who may bring a claim and check which limitation period applies.
Is there a limit on compensation in Ontario?
For economic losses such as lost income or future care, Ontario doesn't set a statutory cap. If losses aren't financial, they're covered by non-pecuniary damages, which are limited by a national judge-made cap. Knowing those rules won't tell you your claim's value. To understand how your injury and documented losses would be assessed, ask an Ontario lawyer.
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Jeremy Syrtash
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